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≡ DISCUS RECORD FRENZY ≡
At the thrower-friendly Throw Town World Invitational in Ramona, Oklahoma, the discus was again the star, thanks to astonishing winds which allow the platter to go further than anywhere else. After a world record in the men’s discus in 2024 by Lithuanian star Mykolas Alekna, field-event fans had this weekend circled.
Things got crazy starting on Saturday for the women. Louisville’s NCAA runner-up and Paris Olympic Jayden Ulrich extended her lifetime best by more than 3 m in round one, getting out to 69.39 m (227-8) for the world lead in 2025 and moving to no. 3 all-time U.S.!
But Olympic champ Valarie Allman and 2023 World Champion Lagi Tausaga-Collins were both watching and blew up the A section! Allman reached 69.52 m (228-1) on her first throw, only to lose the lead to Tausaga-Collins with a world-leading 70.72 m (232-0).
No problem for Allman, who whirled to a world-leading 73.52 m (241-2) monster in round three, improving her American Record by 2 m from 71.46 m (234-5) in 2022) and now to no. 6 all-time! It’s the longest throw in the women’s disc since 1989! And it’s the no. 10 throw ever.
And even with the aiding wind, one can make the case that this was likely the longest throw ever – a world record – with doping controls actually in place.
Allman continued with a great series, finishing with 66.71 m (218-1), 68.10 m (223-5) and a mighty 70.16 m (230-2). Allman authored the no. 1 and 9 throws in U.S. history; Tausaga stays at as the no. 2 performer ever and her throw is no. 6 ever.
In third was Veronica Fraley, the 2024 NCAA champ and Paris Olympian for Vanderbilt, who also got a lifetime best at 68.72 m (225-5) on her first throw, now no. 4 in U.S. history.
The men’s discus was on Sunday, and was insane. Throwing fourth in the first round of the A section was American Sam Mattis, who scored a lifetime best of 70.08 m (229-11) in Thursday’s Oklahoma Throws Series meet, to move to no. 8 all-time U.S. He unloaded another PR on Sunday, this time at 71.27 m (233-1), the no. 2 throw in American history! Only Ben Plucknett’s 1983 monster of 71.32 m (234-0) is longer.
Lithuania’s Alekna, the Olympic silver winner in Paris and at the 2023 Worlds – who set the world record in this meet last year – was the final thrower in the first round and responded brilliantly, taking the lead with another world-record throw, of 74.89 m (245-8)!
Then Australia’s Olympic bronze winner Matthew Denny, who won Thursday’s Oklahoma Throws Series meet at 74.25 m (243-7) and moved to no. 2 all-time, got hot again and reached 70.72 m (232-0) in round two and 72.24 m (237-0) in round three to pass Mattis for second and backed that up with a 71.78 m (235-6) toss in round four.
Then came Alekna, now trying for a world record on every throw, and he did it again to end the fourth round, spinning out to a stupendous 75.56 m (247-1)!
That’s two world records in the same series, done only once before, 49 years ago, when Olympic champion-to-be Mac Wilkins of the U.S. reached 69.80 m (229-0), 70.24 m (230-5) and 70.86 m (232-6) in San Jose, California on 1 May 1976!
Alekna fouled on his last two tries, but Denny was in rhythm and improved to 74.78 m (245-4) in round five and reached 73.36 m (240-8) in round six.
So, after Sunday’s carnage, the all-time list of the best throws ever (including secondary throws in series):
● 75.56 m (247-1), Mykolas Alekna (LTU), 2025
● 74.89 m (245-8), M. Alekna 2025 ~ in series
● 74.78 m (245-4), Matthew Denny (AUS), 2025
● 74.35 m (243-11), M. Alekna, 2024
● 74.25 m (243-7), Denny 2025
● 74.08 m (243-0), Jurgen Schult (GDR), 1986
● 73.88 m (242-8), Virgilijus Alekna (LTU), 2000
● 73.56 m (241-4), Denny 2025 ~ in series
● 73.46 m (241-0), Denny 2025 ~ in series
● 73.38 m (240-9), Gerd Kanter (EST), 2006 (10/5)
Seven of the top 10 ever were all in Ramona, in 2024 and 2025!
Elsewhere, Rachel Tanczos of the U.S. grabbed the world lead in the women’s hammer with a lifetime best 78.80 m (258-6) on her fifth throw on Friday, moving to no. 3 all-time U.S.!
Current men’s javelin world leader Curtis Thompson of the U.S. won at 81.97 m (268-11).
Incredible. And only in Oklahoma.
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